This market insight provides a perspective on how the smart phone market
is evolving, especially with regard to the integration of hardware and
software. The insight discusses the Microsoft-Nokia transaction in
detail, and analyzes its potential impact upon the market. The insight
also relates to the strengths that a smartphone produced by the
Microsoft-Nokia combine could possess.

Highlights

- Growth in the smartphone market has now shifted to emerging markets
that are more price sensitive and value conscious, constraining the
margins of established participants such as Apple and Samsung while
leveling the playing field for participants that compete on lower
margins such as Huawei and other Chinese contract manufacturers.

- Even Apple has introduced the relatively cheaper iPhone 5C for
emerging markets having realized that penetration at the higher end of
the market has bottomed out.

- Mini versions of flagship phones are also being released - HTC One
Mini, Galaxy S3/S4 Mini - in order to bring price points down for
consumers, to increase market share of individual brands and improve
penetration in the value-conscious segment.

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